The Legal Oxymoron of Whiteness in “The Laws” Chapter of China Men by Maxine Hong Kingston

The article centers on the legal construction of whiteness captured by Maxine Hong Kingston in “The Laws” chapter China Men (1980), exposing oxymoron whiteness, which consists its simultaneous gesturing towards universality and particularity. On one hand, laws passed white Americans enabled them to cast as self-proclaimed standard-bearer, self-declared norm. other this norm rests principle exclusivity exclusion. Wielding a weapon exclusion, people have constructed legally manufactured identity that bars non-whites, case Chinese Asian immigrants from citizenship, economic resources, space, “mainstream” American society mainstream culture. not only exposes anti-Chinese anti-Asian legislation, but also shows immigrants’ responses their failed successful attempts at countervailing various forms exclusion “exclusive” treatment they received.